The Supreme Court will hear on September 29 a petition seeking housing and rehabilitation benefits for residents living on the first floors of structures covered under Mumbai’s Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) schemes.
The petition has been filed by former BJP MP Gopal Shetty, challenging the Bombay High Court’s decision not to grant blanket housing benefits to first-floor slum dwellers. The Supreme Court recently heard the matter, with the Maharashtra government presenting its position.
The issue is particularly significant in Mumbai, where several redevelopment projects involve multi-storey slum structures. While residents of ground-floor structures may qualify for rehabilitation under existing SRA provisions, first-floor residents have faced uncertainty over their eligibility for alternative housing.
Shetty’s petition questions the different treatment of residents living in the same redevelopment areas. It argues that people should not lose their rehabilitation rights simply because their homes are located on the first floor.
The Bombay High Court had earlier dismissed the plea, observing that the government’s decision regarding rehabilitation benefits was a matter of policy. The court had indicated that judicial intervention would be difficult unless the policy was found to be unconstitutional.
The dispute involves several old chawls and multi-storey structures constructed on private plots decades ago. Many of these buildings later came under SRA redevelopment schemes. However, residents living on the first floor were not clearly covered by the existing rehabilitation provisions.
Shetty had approached the Bombay High Court in 2021 after the Maharashtra government opposed extending housing benefits to such residents. The matter was subsequently closed in 2024 without a final resolution.
The SRA had considered various options for providing housing to eligible residents, including homes under existing rehabilitation schemes, benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and available Project Affected Persons housing units. However, the proposal was not approved by the state government.
The Supreme Court’s upcoming hearing is being closely watched by first-floor residents across Mumbai. Its decision could have significant implications for their eligibility for permanent rehabilitation housing.
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